I don't get it. Is this just a middle man between all the retail websites and the publishers? Sort of like what Google is doing with the product search and also giving comissions on the items sold?
Yes, you could say that. We're laying down pipes in ecommerce so you can send an order to a merchant from anywhere on the web in a standardised API.
Retailers can extend their reach and make their inventory shoppable from anywhere with an internet connection and publishers can build ecommerce in their apps.
Interesting but why the need for web scraping? If the retailers saw the monetary benefit of this wouldn't they go out of their way to provide you the data directly and an API as well?
Tap certainly would solve the feed problem - but thats a problem for affiliates, not retailers :-)
Its likely that I don't have much clue what I'm talking about, but I can't see great benefits for many retailers from this as it stands. They like more control over leads and to onboard customers into their brand. Typically, this is managed through affiliate programs and partnerships.
Two Tap looks like it allows prospects/customers to be kept under the publishers wing. The retailer gets the transaction, but the publisher keeps the relationship - where the real value (capital) is created and can be realised.
As someone with an interest in a small time publisher - I'm very interested in this.
However, I have a concern with how well it sits with affiliate t&c's. These vary by program of course - but those I know prohibit scraping by any means. That's stopped me doing similar on 80legs or other in the past.
If above is right, Two Tap may well have to develop the kind of relationships with retailers that better serves their needs at the mouth of the funnel. Then Tap risks becoming like anyone other program (CJ/AW..) - & the scraping will likely have to stop. I'm sure they know the space better than anyone here though - and certainly better than me - so I'd be interested to hear if they have these relationships in place with the scraping MO, or are confident of a way forward.
Given that - the CTA only leaves me wondering whats on the other side of the wall:
"Sounds interesting? Let’s talk! - Sign up below"
Do you have traffic/other requirements. Whats the pricing? It'd be nice if you could inform me more/make me work less if I want to use your service :-)
You're right on a lot of accounts. Let's talk, can you get in touch at hello@ please? Happy to talk about all of this.
The main difference now is that both retailers as well as affiliate networks are actively trying to push this model once they've seen they can make 5x more money from the same amount of impressions.
Also, the publisher gets to keep PART the relationship -- the one dealing with the users interaction with their product. The relationship with the retailer that sells the product is also kept intact -- consumer loses just one touchpoint (a visit to the product page) but gets same confirmation email, returns, customer support etc. The retailer has same load on servers and gets the exact same user data they would normally (shipping, email, address, billing, payment etc).
